Commonwealth Games unveils 'inclusive' medals inspired by Glasgow

Medals for this year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will be inspired by the host city and feature an inclusive design that uses braille.

Award-winning artist and designer Militsa Milenkova created the medals, which weave the Finnieston Crane and Glasgow's industrial heritage into them, along with the city's coat of arms.

Braille and tactile elements are also included, with organisers saying this reflects inclusion being at the very heart of the competition.

A total of 215 gold medals will be awarded across 10 sports and six Para sports when the Games take place from 23 July to 2 August this summer.

Milenkova, who is originally from Bulgaria and is Artist in Residence at the Glasgow School of Art, was chosen to design the medals after the school's silversmithing and jewellery artists in residence were invited to submit concepts for it.

A panel made up of representatives from Commonwealth Sport, Glasgow 2026, The Glasgow School of Art, the medal fabricator and an independent jewellery and silversmithing expert then decided on the winner.

She said: "I really wanted to be involved in designing the medals as to me this place is my chosen home.

"I wanted to try and portray this into something that will become a symbol for the Games and all the people who take part in it. I thought it would be a really nice way to put my connection with the city into the design.

"When I was thinking about the design, I wanted to try and fit Glasgow into one shape and to do that I was naturally drawn to the symbol of the city – the coat of arms. That's where I took the distinctive shape from."

Triangular shapes on the surface of the medal are inspired by the top of the Finnieston crane, while the texture represents tartan.

She added: "There are three surface levels representing the podiums that athletes step on to – which is possibly the biggest moment of their lives.

"I wanted to make inclusion tangible; I'm so proud that the design is tactile and accessible with details expressed in braille on the prize medal for the very first time."

The reveal took place at a special event held at the Glasgow School of Art (GSA), attended by Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh, who is vice-patron of Commonwealth Sport.

George Black CBE, who chairs Glasgow 2026, said: "Militsa has created something extraordinary, rooted in Glasgow's story, bold in its design and meaningful in its commitment to inclusion.

"Inclusion is at the heart of Glasgow 2026, with the largest Para sport programme in a Games history, fully integrated in the competition.

"For the first time, every athlete standing on that podium will hold a medal that speaks to who they are and what these Games stand for."

He added that the medal forms part of a commitment to local artists and makers in the city, ensuring the Games has a Glaswegian feel to it.

Glasgow stepped in to stage the games after the original host, the State of Victoria in Australia, backed out for financial reasons.

Due to the shortened length of time to organise it and cost constraints, the number of events has been cut back to 10, compared with 17 in the 2014 edition.